Shadow Play
by JMS6
Summary: If she didn't know any better, she would think that she was going mad. Fortunately, she did know better. She had been mad before...this was nothing compared to that.
1. My Quiet Rage

Chapter one: My Quiet Rage

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**Love was kind, for a time  
Now just aches and it makes me blind**

**This mirror holds my eyes too bright**  
**I can't see the others in my life**

**But do not ask the price I pay,  
I must live with my quiet rage,  
Tame the ghosts in my head,  
That run wild and wish me dead.**

China Sorrows had been lying low, something she detested, for the last few months. She had grieved for a time, (Her library, her collection, her life's work, all gone, taken, burning in the flames of Eliza Scorn's rage and her weakness, her sentimentality), before pulling herself together. She was China Sorrows, for goodness' sake. She didn't grieve, it wasn't in her nature, and besides that it did nothing for her complexion. Her Library was gone, and there was nothing she could do about that. She would take up a new hobby; something to fill the (achingly lonely) hours now that she was, yet again, alone.

She took a deep breath, and closed her pretty blue eyes. The sea wind whipped around her face as she swung her legs carelessly over the edge of the cliff, as she had done when she was a girl. She had retreated out of all society (Part of her attempt at lying low) and was currently staying at her childhood home. She had, of course, removed anything relating to the Faceless Ones years ago, so now it closely resembled her former apartment. This was a fact she tried not to think about. One of many.

Her collection wasn't the only thing she was missing. That urge, which had made her foolishly abandon her neutrality and join madcap adventures, promising companionship and...well, friendship, was now stronger than ever. That instinct, to leap without looking, was calling on her to break out of this empty house that contained so many memories (None of them enjoyable) and find the people she had betrayed, to try to reason with them and show them how she had changed, how she was still changing...

She rose sharply, and headed back towards the house. Still, these treacherous thoughts were better than the voice. It had started in her dreams. _Find me, China,_ it said. Over and over, just those three words. Really, it was quite bothersome. And now it continued into her waking hours, sometimes just whispering on the edge of her consciousness, other times roaring, screaming inside her head.

_FIND ME, CHINA!_ It hollered. Grimacing, she picked up a glass of water, and tapped a small sigil hidden behind her left ear; the ache in her skull dimmed, and she curled up in an impossibly stylish chair, wrapping her arm around her bent legs and resting her head on her knees. She sighed. If she didn't know any better, she would think that she was going mad.

Fortunately, she did know better. She had been mad before...this was nothing compared to that.

_Find me, China. _

China let out low, gentle moan as she buried herself deeper into the chair (Which, in addition to being elegant, beautiful, and many other desirable things, was also surprisingly comfortable. Decadently so, in fact).

_Wonderful, now you're falling asleep on me. Am I really that boring?_

China shot up with a start. The voice had never deviated from its single sentence before, and the words she had heard were as clear as if their speaker had been standing right next to her.

_Of course I'm not._ The voice continued. _Of course I'm not boring. I'm me. _

Chine strode to the window, and glanced out at her warning sigils. No; they were still intact; she was alone. So this person must be in her head. China would have been angry if she wasn't so infuriatingly interested. Damn her... (Friends, her only friends) former associates for infecting her with their particular brand of madness that made them unable to leave well enough ALONE.

There was only one option available to her. The voice in her head (And didn't that make her sound like she was a sane, well adjusted personality) had continued reassuring itself, with a casual, charming narcissism she had rarely encountered.

"Hello?" She said cautiously. "What are you doing in my head? Who are you?"

The voice broke off from its conversation with itself (_I am clearly an extremely interesting person, and further more-_)

_You can hear me? YOU CAN HEAR ME? _

"Obviously!" Chine snapped. "And could you please stop shouting?"

_Alright._

"Now," She said, feeling calmed now she was no longer being mentally berated. "If you would answer my questions?"

_I didn't mean to come into your head...it was an accident. And I'm me, of course. And you don't need to speak out loud. I can hear your thoughts too. _

China didn't blush. She was a charming, sophisticated woman who would not be embarrassed by this person who had invaded her mind and her privacy-

_Actually, you are embarrassed. And I thought I made it clear that this unfortunate turn of events was in no way shape or form my doing, hmm? _

_Be silent. _

_Fine. Be that way._

_Thank you. Now-_

_All you had to do was ask. _

_As I was saying-_

_I mean, you don't have to be rude about it. _

_Please let me think?_

_Well, there might be occasions where you have to be rude, I suppose, but my point is-_

_I don't care what the point is!_ China mentally raged, as the voice finished, with what China could only describe as a mental glare, _this is not one of them. _

_Anyway,_ China said. _Why do you want me to find you?_

The voice hesitated, like it was considering its words carefully.

_I met you once. It finally said. A long time ago. You probably don't remember me, or the promise that you made._

_I've made a lot of promises, to a lot of people. You can't expect me to remember all of them, child. _

_That doesn't matter. You might know my father though. Guess who he is?_

The voice sounded upset now, and a curious mixture of sorrow, regret, love and pain was projected into China's mind. She decided that she didn't much like it. And she didn't much like the thoughts that she was having now, either.

_That's impossible._ She thought frantically. _You died; Nefarian Serpine killed your whole family hundreds of years ago. _

_So you do remember me. I must admit, I was disappointed; most people find me extremely difficult to forget. _

_Iliana_. China reluctantly thought. _Iliana Rousseau. Serpine lied to us then. He lied to us all. _

_Well, it looks that way, doesn't it? You know, he was a bad, bad man. I doubt he was taught how lying is wrong by his parents. They were probably as evil as he is. _

_Why do you need me to find you, Iliana? _

Iliana (It felt satisfying to not just be conversing with a nameless voice) paused for a moment, and when she next spoke in China's mind, her mental voice was full of pain.

_Because he kept me locked away for hundreds of years. Because he died five years ago, and nobody's talked to me since. Because I'm alone, and I can't get out, and I want my Father again. I want to go home, China. _

Tears ran down China's face. She didn't attempt to wipe them away.

_Because you said you'd help me, when you and your friends took me and my mother. You promised you'd rescue us. Please help me now. _

China stood again, and began to collect the few meagre things she needed for travelling.

_Find me, China._

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**A/N -** Okay, I'm not the author, but this is why this note is here; I am Jess. This is The One Named After A Hat's story, so... just to clarify :) Also, please review this one, because the author (whose nom de plume is too long to write) wants them, and I want them for her. Okay, thank you, guys :)


	2. Dream A Little Dream

Chapter Two: Dream A Little Dream

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**Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you,****  
****Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you.****  
****But in your dreams whatever they be,****  
****dream a little dream of me.****  
**  
Dead men don't dream. That was something the skeleton detective had learnt over his long lifetime. (If it could be called that). That was why he knew this was not a dream; it was a memory.

He ignored the voice in his head telling him to turn away from what was coming. This memory would not be a pleasant one, true, but it was a part of him still; it was a major part of who he was today. He couldn't hide from it, not again.

He could see it all so clearly...

Everything had hurt. When Serpine's paper men had dragged him there, kicking and screaming, away from the battle, he had expected to meet the man behind that evening's carnage; but Serpine hadn't turned up. Really, it had been like the man had no sense of style.

Skulduggery sighed, and shifted his weight onto his other foot, subtly testing the knots in the rope around his hands that secured him to the tree they had strapped him too. The rope was thick, but if he shifted his hand just a little...he managed to free part of his left hand. He clicked his fingers, trying to conjure a flame to burn the ropes, or at least weaken them, but all me could manage was a spark. He thought that would be better than nothing though, so he continued, destroying his bonds one strand at a time.

He resisted the urge to talk to the imitations of life around him, it wouldn't help anybody; they couldn't answer. Instead he mentally assessed his injuries.

Multiple cuts and bruises, which were only to be expected, were liberally adorned throughout his body, and whenever he breathed there was a sharp pain in his side; maybe one or two ribs had been broken, or at least cracked. He'd survived worse, much worse.

That thought had made him hesitate, for a second. Everything had seemed slightly wrong, when he thought about it. For a start, fighting in such an open place had been completely unlike Malevolent's men; they liked to battle in Woods, or hilly areas; this ground was flat and solid, perfect for fighting on an even footing. Secondly was the way the enemy had behaved around him when they fought. Usually he would be heavily targeted, but that day it was like they didn't want to come near him, until he had allowed him to get drawn away from the main fight, and been caught.

But why had he been caught? And for what purpose? He hadn't liked to imagine it. Dimly, he hoped that the rest of the men had escaped. They knew better then to come back for him, at any rate; no use getting more people killed then need be.

At least his family wouldn't be alone, he had thought, Ghastly at least would take care of the two of them. He sighed, and closed his eyes, turning his head to the side. They might not be alone, but they wouldn't be alright. Iliana; she would grow up without a father.

He opened his eyes a fraction at the snap of a twig form his left side. At last it would be over with. Maybe if he was lucky it would even be quick.

But not painless. Skulduggery had known that for certain.

An incessant ringing drove through his consciousness, startling him out of the memory. He felt like screaming; this time he hadn't even gotten to see the faces of his family.

It had been a long time, but it still hurt just like it had when their bodies were still warm, and lying on the ground with all the light gone from their eyes.

And he had never been able to say goodbye.

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**A/N -** Hey, this is me, The be-hatted one, and I just wanted to let you know... I own nothing. Really.


	3. I Will Play My Bloody Part

Chapter three: I Will Play My Bloody Part

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**I should've known I was weaker from the start**

**You'll build your walls and I will play my bloody part**

**To tear, tear them down**

**Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down**

**'Cause I know my weakness know my voice, and I'll believe in grace and choice**

**And I know perhaps my heart is farce, but I'll be born without a mask**

1413. Mid-war:

China was used to giving orders and having them obeyed instantly on pain of death, or her extreme displeasure (Not that there was any difference between the two). She was used to people falling over their own feet to do her bidding, and wanting to lay down their lives for her as soon as their eyes met.

Consequently, she had not expected this situation.

"What do you mean, 'No'?! She fumed at Iliana Rousseau, who was behaving as if instead of being held in chains in the fortress of her family's enemy with the very real and imminent threat of death hanging over her head, she was at home relaxing, and they were the ones being unreasonable.

China was really beginning to have serious doubts about her sanity.

"No means no." Rousseau said calmly. "I don't know what it is you want from me," She tilted her head quizzically, staring at China. "And even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you. You do know that, yes?"

"We do have ways of...persuading you otherwise." Serpine snarled from China's left hand side; she suppressed a shudder; she had forgotten that he was there. Wishful thinking most likely. Really, the man had no place here, and no idea of how you interrogate a prisoner.

Clearly Rousseau thought so too, as she finally gave out a reaction other then polite indifference and disinterest. Unfortunately, it was not the reaction dear Nefarian had been hoping for.

She began to laugh, softly at first, and choked as though she were trying to hold it in, but at his disgusted expression, she let it all out in a full belly laugh that had her rolling around on the floor and wheezing with the effort.

"Are you serious? 'We have ways of persuading you otherwise?' Really, I had expected better." she chuckled weakly, a broad grin on her narrow face. "Can you not use the tiniest bit of imagination? C'mon, just for me. I won't tell anyone."

"Don't laugh at me!" He roared angrily, and China just wanted to make him shut up, as this just made the girl laugh even more. Why couldn't he have just left the interrogation to her? She knew what she was doing, knew how these people thought; knew that if you let them mock you (As this girl was doing quite successfully) you give them the upper hand. The paper men around the two of them shifted, and Rousseau began to calm down, though a huge grin still adorned her face.

"But you make it so easy!" She said with thinly disguised amusement in her voice. Serpine gestured angrily to his minions, and they opened the cell to lead her out, still heavily festooned with chains.

As soon as she had set foot on the unbound ground of the passage way outside of her cell, Rousseau struck, lashing out with her arm to tear the throat of the Paper creation holding her. As it collapsed, China sprung into action. Serpine had retreated behind his Paper men as soon as the girl began her attack, so China was the one who would have to stop her (The Paper men weren't doing much good; she was literally ripping them to shreds with her bare hands).

She was almost impressed with the speed at which Rousseau tore through her opponents, kicking and slashing until it was just the two of them.

They circled each other, silently assessing their new opponent. China took in the sluggish trail of blood seeping through her right sleeve, the trickle of blood from her dark hair line, the crocked, bruised fingers of her left hand the way she subtly shielded her right leg. As Rousseau sunk into a defensive stance, China struck.

Her leg slammed into the girl's ribs, forcing her backwards, and winding her. As she went down, Rousseau grabbed China's arm, pulling her down with to the floor. She pulled herself up and twisted China's arm around her back, but China flipped them both over so that their positions were reversed; she was kneeling over the Rousseau and she had her forearm at her throat, constricting her air flow. Rousseau's eyes, which had up till now still held a trace of softness hardened, and she reached out her uninjured hand towards China's hand. She tightened her grip on the girls throat, expecting her to try to pull her arm away, but she didn't.

As it turned out, she didn't need too.

As the Rousseau's eyes narrowed in concentration, China's senses were assaulted with pain from all directions. Her vision tunnelled, her mouth filled with warm blood and the ringing in her ears drowned out even her own screams which were torn from her throat at an embarrassing volume. The pressure in her head felt so intense she couldn't think, couldn't breath, and she could feel something immensely powerful ripping through her conscious mind and thoughts like wading through water. She tried to mount a feeble resistance, but it was just brushed aside as Rousseau's presence ripped onwards, breaking and tearing and shattering all that China was, but just as she felt her final defence crumble-

The pressure was lifted, and Rousseau staggered away, leaving China lying on the floor. The girl's eyes were widened, and her feet unsteady.

She never saw Serpine behind her, backed by Murder Rose, Jason Gallow and Gruesome Krav. They knocked her out cold, and as Jason Gallow rushed forward to assist her, the girl was carried away.

China couldn't believe it. The girl could have killed her, was just about too...but something had made her stop.

China almost rolled her eyes. Typical of this child to be just as contradictory as her father.

"Why did you stop?"

Rousseau stared up at China, bruised eyes dimmed; though they were bright just a few days ago.

"You could have killed me," China carried on, pacing in front of her new cage. "I know you could have. I could feel it. Why didn't you?"

"You mean you really don't know?"

China really didn't like not knowing things. She shook her head.

"Not all prisons have bars, Miss Sorrows."

"I don't understand."

"You are just as trapped as I am. You just don't know it."

China backed away slowly. This made no sense...what could she mean? No...it wasn't for her to question the will of the Faceless Ones.

"You're wrong." She snapped, glaring at her. "I am nothing like you...I have power, influence-"

"You have no one to love in all the world, and whenever you look inside yourself _you feel empty_." She stood on shaky legs, and stumbled towards the door of the cell. "You have _nothing_, Miss Sorrows." She stressed. "I know you...think about it. You aren't stupid...why should you worship being that want to destroy you! What have they ever done to make you want to bring the back? I'm not wrong...please, think about it."

She reached a hand between the cold iron bars to clutch at China's dress, gripping it hard and pulling her close.

"Help us, China," She said urgently. "If you let my mother and I go, our side will protect you from these people. My father is a very important man, Miss Sorrows, he won't let them get to you, but you have to help us!"

China ripped her dress from the grasp of the girl, and ran out of the room. She leaned heavily on the stone wall, breathing heavily, and shaking. She shook herself, and strode away from the cold, dark cells. Iliana Rousseau was _clearly_ insane.

There was, of course, no way that she could be right.

No way at all.

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**A/N - **(This is Jess again because #YOLO. Don't worry, that wasn't a serious use of colloquial Internet slang ;D) Thanks for waiting for this one - I post these for the author hat lady person still and my computer broke down. I've only just found the time to post this one, so _please _review, because feedback is awesome and reviewing gets you cyberhugs! Thanks guys :)


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